Panty



March 10, .1959 M. M.`EBERT 2,876,779

, PANTY Filed July 25, 195e 2 sheets-sheet v1 INVENTOR. MOE M. EBERT BYW Me/n/Ld/(A/ ATTORNEY.

March 10, 1959 M. M. EBERT 2,876,779

PANTY Filed July 23, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. MOE /VLEBERT BVM/nm PANTY Moe M. Ebert, New York, N. Y., assignor to Cadillac Creations, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 23, 1956, Serial No. 599,379

9 Claims. (Cl. 12S-528) This invention relates generally to clothing, and is particularly concerned with improvements in the construction of ladies underpants or panties.

As is well known, conventional panties, even when provided with garter grips, are generally unsatisfactory for supporting stockings, as such panties do not offer suftaes Patent licient resistance to the tendency of stockings to fall.

Further, conventional panties perform little or no body molding or supporting. Hence, it is usually necessary for women to wear a garter belt or similar device for supporting stockings, in addition to the conventional panties. Of course, a corset or girdle may be worn to support the stockings, but such garments are often undesired or unnecessary for various reasons. While a combination garment, commonly called a panty girdle, has come into rather wide usage, such garments generally provide the disadvantages of a girdlesuch as high cost and heavy weight, and do not afford the advantages of panties. Y

It is, therefore, a general object of the present invention to providea novel panty construction which overcomes the above-mentioned diiculties, offers the wearer lightness, comfort, low cost and other attributes of panties, will not slide or ride on the wearers body, serves to adequately sustain or support stockings, and affords the wearer healthful, attractive body forming support.

It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide a panty construction having a soft, flexible i 2,876,779 Patented Mar. 10, 1959 Fig. 5 is a front elevational view showing another slightly modified panty construction of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a rear elevational view of the panties of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a partial front elevational view showing another modiiication of thepresent invention.

Fig. 8 is a partial rear elevational view showing the construction of Fig. 7.

, Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to Figs.' 1 and 2 thereof, the panty garment illustrated therein is generally designated 10, and includes a front wall 11 and back Wall 12. 'The front and back walls 11 and 12 may be formed from a single sheet of flexible fabric stitched or otherwise seamed along only one side, or may be made of front and back pieces stitched or otherwise secured together along both sides of the garment. The front and back walls are prefer- .ably fabricated of tricot woven from nylon yarn treated by the Helanca process. As such yarn is possessed of considerable elasticity, the garment may be substantially undersize so as to be form-fitting without binding the wearer. i

The front wall 11 and back wall 12 are unsecured at their upper edges to define a waist opening; and, an elastic band 13 extends circumferentially about the waist opening and is secured to the upper edges of the front `and back walls to define a waist band. A crotch piece 1S extends between and is secured to medial lower edge portions of the front wall 11 and back wall 12, and cornbines with such walls to define laterally spaced leg openings. A pair of elastic strips 16 extend about the leg openings, each strip being secured along the adjacent lower edge portions of the front and back walls 11 and f 12 and the adjacent edge portion of the crotch piece 15 to define a leg band extending about the respective leg opening. Stated otherwise, each band 16 is secured to the edge portions of the front and back walls 1.1 and 12 and crotch piece 15 which combine to dene the respective leg opening. A front garter 18 is secured to the front portion of each leg band 16, and a rear garter 19 is secured to the rear portion of each leg band, which garters may be provided with conventional means for gripping stockings. The front and rear garters 18 and 19 are preferably detachably secured by any suitable means to the leg band so that the garment may be worn without garters, if desired.

is adapted to be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational View showing one form of panty construction of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view showing the panties of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view showing a slightly modified form of panty construction of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevational view showing the form of Fig. 3.

In the upper regions 21 and 22 of the front and back walls 11 and 12, respectively, and extending laterally thereacross, are a plurality of elastic strands 23 and 24 which serve lto resiliently gather or shirr the upper wall portions. Further, the elastic strands 23 and 24 may extending continuously, circumferentially about the upper region `of the garment to define a resiliently constricted garment waist portion generally designated 25. The elastic strands 23 and 24, which gather or shirr the circumferentially extending upper portion or waist 25 of the garment, are arranged in parallel spaced relation with respect to each other and with respect to the elastic waist band 13. In particular, it has been found advantageous to provide approximately six elastic strands 23, 24 spaced approximately 3% inch from each other, with the upper strand spaced approximately 3%; inch from the band 13. Thus, the distance from the lowest strand of the shirred region 25 to the upper edge of the band 13 desirably approximates three inches, and is preferably at least two inches.

` region 25 will snugly gird the wearers person to engage conformably with the inclined surface portions of the wearers hips, abdomen and buttocks. While the waist band 13 and the leg band 16 provide some restraint against up and down sliding or riding movement of the garment on the wearers person, such garment movement is very eiectively prevented by the relatively wide shirred region 25 snugly engaging with a relatively broad area of the abdomen and hips. In addition to preventing undesired motion of the garment relative to the wearers person, the shirred region 25 by reasons of its resiliently constricting character, serves to support and flatten the wearers abdomen and hips.

In Figs. 3 and 4 are showna slightly modified panty garment 10a which is substantially identical to the panty garment 10, but wherein a panel 38 is interposed centrally in the front wall 11a and extends vertically between the waist band 13, and the crotch piece 15 and leg bands 16. The central front wall panel 30 has its upper edge stitched or otherwise secured to the waist band 13 and has its lower edge suitably secured to the crotch piece 15 and adjacent portions of the leg bands 16, while the side edge portions 31 of the central panel diverge in the downward direction and are secured to adjacent edge portions of the front panel 11a: spaced inward from the sides of the garment. By this construction and by the use of two-way stretch material in the central panel 30, the protruding abdomen of a wearer, as in the case of pregnancy, may be snugly and conformably engaged, but comfortably supported by the central front panel.

It will be noted that the central front panel 30 interrupts the circumferential extension of the resiliently constricted, upper shirred region 25a of the garment 10a to enable the'abdomen to achieve full benefit of the two-way elasticity of the front panel. However, the shirred region extends about the sides and back of the garment so as to snuglyengage over a considerable area with the inclined surfaces offthe wearers hips and buttocks. Hence, the interrupted shirred upper garment portion 25a does` not `completely gird the wearers torso, but'cffectively prevents riding orsliding down of the garment, even under the downward pull of stockings.

Another slight modification of the instant invention is illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, and generally designated b, wherein the front and back walls 11b and 12b respectively, are not formed as a single piece or directly connected together as are the front and back walls of the above described forms. More specifically, the front wall 11b terminates at its side edges considerably short of the sides of the garment, while the back Wall 12b terminates atits side edges somewhat less short of the garment sides. interposed between each pair of adjacent side edges of the' front and back walls 11b and 12b is a side panel 35. That is, a pair of Aside panels 35 are located on opposite sides of the garment 10b and each has its front edge portion 3 6 stitched or otherwise secured to the adjacent side edge portionof thefront wall 11b,and its rear edge portion 37 suitably secured to the adjacent side edge porf tion of the back wall 1,2b. The side panels 35 each extend vertically frornva side portion of the elastic waist band 13 to the` side portion of theadjacent leg band 16, and have their upper and lower edge portions stitched or otherwise secured to the waist and leg bands. The side panels 35 are preferably fabricated of two-way stretch material and are shaped to taper or decrease in their transverse dimension inthe upward direction, soas to increase in the downward direction for conforming engagement with the wearers hips.

In practice, the form of Figs. 5 and 6 may be preferred by women having larger hips, With the garment in use encircling and covering the lower torso of the wearer, the front wall section of the upper garment portion shirred regionr25b will snugly engage over a substantial area with the wearers abdomen so as to effectively flatten the latter-and be supported against downwardsliding, while the rear-:wall section of the shrredregion 25h will engage with the upwardly inclined surface of the buttocks and further prevent downward movement of the garment. In addition, the two-way stretch side panels 35 serve to engage with and support the wearers hips. Viewedotherwise, the side panels 35 extend through and interrupt the circumferential shirting 2513` and subdivide the latter into front and rear wall shirred sections which engage with and bear upon the upwardly inclined surfaces of the wearers abdomen and buttocks to prevent downward movement of the garment. This enables the side panels 35 to effectively mold the wearers hips while the garment is maintained in position on the wearers body.

An additional modification is illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, which may be employed in conjunction with any of the hereinbefore described forms, wherein the front wall 11C, back wall 12e and crotch piece 15e combine to define a leg opening 40. An annulus, or annular strip 41, preferably fabricated of two-way stretch material, has one edge portion 42 extending about theV leg opening 40 and secured to the edge portions of the front wall 11e, rear wall 12C and crotch portion 15C which combine to define the leg opening. Extending about and secured to the other edge portion of the annulus 41 is an elastic strip 16o which dehnes a leg band adapted to snugly gird the wearers leg and remain in positionV on the wearers leg against the forces of body movement. Under conditions of extreme body movement, such as is frequent with relatively large persons, conventional garments tend to restrain the wearer. For example, the bending motion of a relatively tall woman will tend' to displace conventional panty leg bands and restrictv the wearers freedom of movement. In order to avoid limitation on the wearers movement, the annulus 41 of the instant embodiment can stretch in transverse directions and allow the leg band 16e to remain firmly in position on the wearers leg during extreme body movement.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a panty construction which fully accomplishes its intended objects, and is well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture and use.

Although they present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit ofthe invention and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A panty garment comprising in combination front and back walls of exible fabric connected together at their sides and adapted to cover the lower torso of a wearer, an elastic waist band secured along the upper edges of said front and back walls for retaining said walls snugly aboutv the wearers waist, and a plurality oflelongate elastic strands comprisinga shirred area in said panty garment extending along the upper portions of said front andback` walls inparallel spaced relation with respect to each other and to said Waist band to shirr theupper portions of said walls below the vwaist band, the upper portions of said garment thereby being retained snugly about vthe wearer, and constituting means to support and mold the abdomen and hips, the circumferential dimension of said panty garment in said shirred area being less'than the circumferential dimension of said panty girdle at the lower portions of said front and back walls.

2. A panty garment according to claim 1, wherein said elastic strandsV extend' continuously along said front and back-walls'A so*v that the upper portion of said garment below the waist band is circumferentially shirred to snugly girdthe wearer.

3. A panty garment according to claim l, in combina'- tion with a central panel interposed in said front wall andA fabricated: of two-way stretch elastic material. to support the wearers abdomen.

4. A panty garment according to claim 1, in combination with a pair of side panels of two-way stretch material and each interposed between an adjacent pair of side edges of said front and back walls to support the wearers hips.

5. A panty garment according to claim l, in combination with a crotch piece extending between the lower edges of said front and back walls and combining with said walls to dene a pair oi leg openings, and annulus of two-way stretch material extending about each of said leg openings and having one edge secured to said crotch piece and front and back Walls, and an elastic leg band extending along and secured to the other edge of said annulus, said leg bands serving to snugly gird the wearers legs and hold said garment down while said annuli aord the wearer freedom of movement without drawing said upper garment portion out of position.

6. A panty garment comprising in combination front and back walls of flexible fabric connected together at their sides and adapted to encircle the lower torso of a wearer, a crotch piece extending between the lower edges of said front and back walls and combining with said walls to define a pair rof leg openings, an elastic waist band secured along the upper edges of said front and back walls for encircling and retaining said walls snugly about the wearers waist, a leg band extending about each of said leg openings and secured to the lower edges of said front and 'back walls and the adjacent edge of said crotch piece, and a plurality of elongate elastic strands comprising a shirred area in said panty garment extending along the upper portions of said front and back walls in parallel spaced relation with respect to each other and to said waist band to shirr at least the upper two inch portions of said walls, the upper portions of said garment thereby being retained snugly about the hips, abdomen and buttocks of a wearer, the circumferential dimension of said panty garment in said shirred area being less than the circumferential dimension of said panty garment at the lower portions of said front and back walls.

7. A panty garment according to claim 6, in combination with a central panel of two-way stretch material interposed in said front wall having its upper edge secured to said waist band and having its lower edge secured to said leg bands and said crotch piece, the side edges ot' said central panel being secured to inner edges of said front wall spaced inward from the sides of said front wall, whereby said central panel is adapted to supportv the wearers abdomen.

8. A panty garment according to claim 6, in combinatien with a pair of side panels of two-way stretch material and each interposed `between an adjacent pair of sides of said front and back walls, each panel having its upper edge secured to said waist band and having its lower edge secured to the adjacent leg band, the side edges of said side panels extending to the front and rear of said garment and being secured to the adjacent side edges of the front and rear garment walls to support the wearers hips.

9. A panty garment according to claim 6, in combination with an annulus of two-way stretch material extending about each leg opening and secured between each leg band and the adjacent edges of the front and back walls and crotch piece bounding the associated leg opening, whereby the leg bands serve to snugly gird the wearers leg and hold the garment down while said annuli afford freedom of movement to the wearer without pulling the upper portion of the garment out of place.

References Cited in the le vof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,341,882 Scriggins Feb. l5, 1944 2,391,641 OHern Dec. 25, 1945 2,462,195 Jacobson Feb. 22, 1949 2,466,545 Hessel Apr. 5, 1949 2,617,113 Hardie Nov. 11, 1952 2,680,247 Bernert .lune 8, 1954 2,711,542 Rosenberg June 28, 1955 2,719,302 Cooperman Oct. 4, 1955 

